


Tangled Tides

by robinwritesallthethings



Category: Aquaman (2018), Justice League (2017)
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Gen, Multi, Other, Romance, Self-Insert, Series, Superheroes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-13
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2020-05-07 09:56:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19207036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robinwritesallthethings/pseuds/robinwritesallthethings
Summary: Barry and Robin have been friends since they were kids. Arthur and Maeve have been friends since they were kids. Barry and Robin never considered dating. Arthur and Maeve figured it was the next logical step in their relationship. Now Robin and Maeve are friends too. The problem is, Robin likes Arthur. And he thinks he might like her too. So it's complicated.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kirthal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kirthal/gifts).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barry's dating Maeve. Arthur's dating Robin. They're all friends. Their relationship works, but it wasn't always that way.

I look up as Arthur bangs through the door and loudly announces, “Honey, I'm home!” I can't help sighing. He's cheerful as usual.

Meanwhile, Maeve and I have been curled up on the couch for the better part of an hour. There's nothing specific wrong, really. We've just both had a bad day, and we're not in forgiving moods.

To Arthur's credit, he notices right away. “I see that both of my girls need hugs,” he rumbles. It's hard not to smile a bit as he comes over to us and scoops us up, one in each arm, and carries us into the bedroom I share with him.

“Okay, I'm giant spoon,” he decides. He sets Maeve down on the bed, keeping me in his arms as he lays down. “Robin's middle little spoon, and Maeve is outside little spoon. Everyone cuddle up!”

He tucks me under his chin and pulls me tightly into his chest, then reaches over me and pulls Maeve closer too. I sigh softly, immediately starting to feel better as I'm cushioned between both of them.

I like being touched and held. It always makes me feel better. Luckily, Arthur is very snuggly. Beyond, really. When he's around, he pretty much never lets go of me.

Maeve isn't into the whole invading her personal space stuff as much. But she's used to it. She's been friends with Arthur since they were kids. And she needs it too, every once in a while.

“Everybody comfy?” Arthur murmurs sleepily. Arthur is incapable of snuggling without taking a nap. Not that I mind. It usually puts me to sleep too, and I used to have a hard time getting enough.

“Yes, Arthur,” I answer, turning my head slightly and kissing his arm, resting my forehead against Maeve's back. She hums in agreement.

Arthur moves his arm briefly to pull a blanket over the three of us. Then I feel his nose nuzzling the back of my neck and his lips against my skin before we all drift off.

I wake up slightly later when I hear Barry's voice. “Um, excuse me,” he begins. I don't have to look at him to know that he's standing there with his arms crossed over his chest trying to pretend that he's angry. But he's also grinning. Barry can never sell mad.

“Whaddya want?” Arthur mutters grumpily, holding us both tighter. He hates being woken up.

“Care to explain why you're both sleeping with my girlfriend?” Barry continues. Then, before anyone can add anything, he's in the bed stretched over all three of us.

“Barry!” Maeve giggles. His head is closest to her, so he leans in and starts to kiss her playfully.

Arthur hunches over me to shield me from Barry's legs. “I will toss you across the room and into next Tuesday if you don't get off of me,” he threatens.

On cue, Barry is across the room with Maeve in his arms. He settles them into my favorite armchair and she lightly punches him in the shoulder. “I hate it when you do that, Barry,” she reminds him.

“Sorry, baby,” he apologizes, kissing her nose. “Just trying not to get tossed.” He clears his throat and tries to pretend to be serious. “Now, I still haven't received an explanation.”

Arthur grunts. “You weren't here,” he points out succinctly. I snort and turn over enough to pull him down for a kiss. It's an effective distraction. “Mmm,” he practically purrs. “Hi, baby.” He rolls partially on top of me and deepens the kiss as I wrap my arms around him.

“Okay!” Barry shoots up and pretends to look around awkwardly. “We will go order pizza and argue about what TV show to watch. When you two are done, you can join us...”

He zooms out of the room, prompting another protest from Maeve. Arthur chuckles and kisses me again before standing up, still cradling me in his arms. “Feel better, baby?” he asks, rubbing his nose over mine.

I nod. “Very much, Arthur. Thank you.”

He beams at me, happy to have brightened my day, then carries me out into the living room to join Barry and Maeve.

She's finishing up sending the pizza order on her phone while Barry flips through our streaming queues. “Okay, so Maeve is passing on Shark Week...” Arthur groans and Barry laughs. “Sorry, Arthur. If it makes you feel better, I'm passing on those vet shows Maeve loves. I can't watch that stuff while I eat. That leaves cooking shows and those house shows your dorky girlfriend and my dorky best friend love.”

He smiles up at me and I stick my tongue out at him. “You're the dorkiest person in this room, Barry, and that's saying something,” I tease. Barry and I have been best friends since we were kids, just like Arthur and Maeve. I am completely familiar with how dorky he is.

“That means it's up to you, baby.” Arthur sits down, kisses my forehead, and wonders, “What do you want to watch?”

“Hm.” I tilt my head like I'm thinking about it, even though Arthur knows that I've already decided.

I grab the remote from Barry and flip to a show where people hunt for beach houses. “I knew it,” Arthur confesses. He likes everyone to know when he's right. “I like this one too, babe.”

Arthur gets up to answer the door when the pizza arrives since he can carry all of the boxes in one hand. He sets most of them down in front of Barry, distributing the rest appropriately, then goes to get everyone drinks from the fridge.

I eye the six-pack of beer he's brought back for himself. “Just one?” I joke. I've never seen anyone pack away alcohol like Arthur. At least it takes a lot to get him drunk.

“To get started,” Arthur replies defensively. “You don't drink, baby,” he reminds me.

“That doesn't mean you can't,” I admonish him. “We've talked about this.” I wink at him. “But yes, I do prefer your other six-pack,” I reveal archly.

Barry rolls his eyes. “Eight-pack, you mean. Ten-pack.” Barry pauses thoughtfully as he chews. “Can you even have a ten-pack?”

Arthur pulls up his shirt. “Wanna count, Allen?” he growls seductively.

Barry shakes his head emphatically. “Nope. I will let Robin do that for you later.”

“Oh, she's already counted. Many times.” Arthur grabs a piece of pizza, folding it in half and eating almost the entire piece in one bite.

“We know.” Maeve grabbed her own piece of pizza and gave Arthur a mockingly disapproving look. “We have ears, you know.”

“So... you're welcome. For all the... inspiration.” Arthur waggles his eyebrows.

“Gross, Arthur!” Maeve throws a napkin at him, which Arthur catches and uses to wipe his mouth.

Hours later, we're all sprawled out on the couch, tangled up together. It's after midnight when we each retire to our own rooms and beds after several hugs and kisses good night.

I know our relationship seems weird. Four people being so close and affectionate generally gives others pause.

It wasn't always like this. In fact, we all almost went our own separate ways at one point. Relationships are complicated, after all.

As you can see, it all worked out in the end. But the real story is in how we got here.

And that's what I'm going to tell you.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin remembers how awkward it was when she first met Arthur.

Some people are just meant to be in each other's lives, you know? Arthur taught me that, actually. When he first told me about his parents, I cried. It was so obvious that they were meant to be together, and I couldn't imagine spending so much time apart from someone I loved.

That got me thinking about who was meant to be in my life. Barry, for sure. We grew up next door to each other. He was the dorkiest kid, even dorkier than me, and I loved it. We've been attached at the hip ever since we met, which is why I know all of his secrets.

I felt the same way when I met Maeve. Talking to her was easy. It felt like we'd known each other forever. I can really be myself around her, and that means a lot to me, because, except for Barry, I usually hide who I am from other people. I'm afraid they won't like certain parts of me, but I know nothing I could say would drive Maeve away.

Most people think it's strange that Barry and I never tried dating. I know it's kind of a stereotype, but our relationship has never been like that. We're content the way we are.

From the beginning, I felt strange around Arthur. He was Maeve's best friend. They'd grown up pretty much the same way that Barry and I had, but, unlike us, they'd decided to try out the dating route.

It wasn't that I was uncomfortable around Arthur. He's a wonderful person. He's sweet and kind, a little rough around the edges, but understanding. But something was just off.

I made up a lot of excuses for myself. I had just met Maeve. I'd had a long day. My period had just ended and I was exhausted.

I'd never met another superhero before, much less someone who wasn't technically entirely human, but I could hardly use that as an excuse at that point, since I didn't know Arthur was Aquaman quite yet.

And none of my other excuses really made sense. It was honestly just that he didn't sit well with me.

It was only after he'd told me about his parents that it clicked.

Arthur was supposed to be in my life too. And if it had just been as a friend, it would have been fine.

But the knot in my belly as I clutched my pillow and tried not to picture him when I closed my eyes definitely spoke to something else.

And I could not go there. I shouldn't have even been thinking about him as much as I was. He was my new best friend's boyfriend, and I was definitely not the kind of person to be a homewrecker. Even if they broke up, I wouldn't have truly considered making a play for him, though I'm sure I would have wondered about it briefly.

I didn't want to lose Maeve. So I'd convinced myself that maybe this thing with Arthur was just a crush, a feeling that would pass after the novelty of him wore off.

I sincerely hoped that's what it was. I could always use another friend, and I knew Maeve wanted me and Arthur to be friends.

But he could never be what my brain was trying to force him to be, and if it stayed that way, I didn't know if it would be too much to bear. I'd had unrequited crushes before, of course, but I hadn't had to hang around them perpetually.

I'd had a hard time going to sleep that night as I thought it over. But at that point, my only choice was to move forward and see what happened.

As you might have already guessed based on my initial assumptions, I was so not expecting what came next.


End file.
